NHL 14 Review

(Played on XBox 360)

Well it’s been out for about a week or so now so we figure its about time for me(Scott) to write about how we feel about the 2014 version of the best video game series ever made.

For the first time that I can remember, I didn’t go in for the midnight release. My daughter began school this year so I have to be up with her because apparently you have to feed them everyday! But as soon as she had breakfast and was on the bus I went in to pick my pre-ordered copy. It could not have been released at a more perfect time!

Having already played the demo I knew what the game play was like but was limited to only a few game modes to try: HUT, play now, where you choose either Boston or Chicago and play the third period of last years final, and free skate.

So I’ve had the game a week and have tried all the game modes but haven’t been able to dive balls deep into any of them yet. But I still feel like this years version is way better than last years.

The first thing you notice is the speed and flow of the game has been greatly improved. Where in years past it seemed as though you were playing last years version but with a few minor animation changes and new rosters and player rankings.

This years game looks and feels completely different. The AI is smarter for both your team and the team you are facing which makes it more difficult and easier to score at the same time. And the hits are massive and players suffer real time damage. From a puck a stick or fist the black eyes are cool

The major and most significant upgrade is the redesigned fighting system. The old way was so boring and was just a matter of mashing the thumbsticks. This year though it moves the camera back giving you a third person view. It is a great addition to the game and if actually takes some skill to win a fight.

Live The Life

This years be a pro mode try’s to do more in depth. Where you answer media questions and deal with off ice scenarios in a multiple choice way. Each answer you gives affects the way the fans. Teammates. Management and your family support you. I’m not super sold on this yet as I haven’t seen any consequences from my answers yet but this does have some great potential.

You can choose to play as any player in the world or create a player and start on a team or play with a selected team in the memorial cup and get drafted.

As always it’s a great game mode with basically unlimited creation abilities from face right down how you tuck your socks into your skates.

Hockey Ultimate Team(HUT)

Since this was introduced a few years ago, this has been one of if not the best game mode going. You start and acquire players by opening packs of cards by purchasing them with real money or EA pucks that you earn by winning games.

Thur have upgraded the auction house ensuring you don’t over spend for a card by showing you the average price each particular card fetches and also how much the most recent one went for and how many there are available at the time

Only complaint about this mode is the training cards. When the mode was first introduced you could apply a training card to any player: + 5 skating, + 9 rebound control for example, and each player had a certain amount of training slots available based on age and potential. Once you applied the training care the upgraded stats would stay with the player for as long as you had the player. But now each trading card only lasts a game unless you also apply a duration card. So you play the 5 duration card then the upgraded stats stay around for 5 games.

So they aren’t really training cards make like a boost card and I personally think its dumb. So I have Seth Jones, who is currently ranked 71, I apply 5 training cards bring his rating up to an 84and a 5 duration card so he is rats 84 for 5 games then back to 71. Just brutal. I understand why EA does this it’s to force the user to buy not cards and they are hoping you purchase the packs of cards with real money opposed to EA pucks. Like the $70 we paid for the game want enough already.

NHL 94 anniversary edition

Twenty years ago ah memories. Tupac was still alive, video games were still a basic but awesome thing, Graeme was a 30 year old jerk, Kate Upton was 2 years old.
But the video games were amazing back then. In what was supposed to be one of the highlights of NHL 14 comes up flat. Sure the ice is blue, the players are highlighted with a star the cheesy celebrations are back as is the awful organ music. The controls are back to a simple button press scheme

But the game still feels like NHL 14. It’s way to fancy and fast the hits are outta this world. The goals come early and often. It’s fun for a minute or If you have some friends over to play but overall it doesn’t deserve as much attention as it received pre release.

Overall NHL 14 is great and definitely worth a buy. If betting on who will win the cup, each conference and division doesn’t hold you over until the season begins then this will for sure.

Out of ten I’d give this game a 9 with only a few improvements needed for a ten. But there are way more pros then cons so this game is fantastic. If you want to kick my ass online some time look me up on Xbox Scott9727 my boy Roenicks number btw.

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